Knowledge and Practice Regarding Nosocomial Infections among Staff Nurses at Isra University Hospital, Hyderabad

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practices regarding nosocomial infections among staff nurses at Isra University Hospital, Hyderabad.

Study design: It was a Descriptive cross-sectional study.

Place and duration of study: The study was conducted at Isra University Hospital, Hyderabad from July to September 2024.

Material and Methods: The study participants included 50 staff nurses from designated wards, who appropriately completed a structured questionnaire that focused on their knowledge of nosocomial infections, measures for preventing infections, hand hygiene practices, usage of personal protective equipment (PPE), and disinfection procedures. In analyzing the results, descriptive statistics; frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations were employed using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 23.

Results: Most of the nurses (94%) indicated that they knew about infection prevention. In terms of awareness of preventive measures, 86% stated that hand washing helps in the prevention of infections, and 82% stated that gloves help prevent infections. Nonetheless, 64% of participants rated alcohol-based antiseptics as almost as effective as soap when the hands are not visibly dirty. Concerning the time taken to disinfect instruments, 46% proposed 10 minutes to disinfect instruments. Nurses recognized HIV/AIDS a disease as transmitted through needle stick injuries by 44%.

Conclusion: This study revealed that staff nurses have good knowledge and practice about infection control, although there are deficits, including inadequate knowledge about hand washing and alcohol-based hand rub. Additional educational programs are required to enhance these practices.